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How to Empower Yourself for Success

By Lornie Kass

You are trapped in a rut. Doing the same job everyday slumped your energy level to
an all time low. You find it really hard to stay positive and motivate yourself to
do just about anything. If this describes the situation you’re currently facing,
don’t panic. What you need to do is, learn positive thinking techniques that will
tune up your slacking attitude and empower you for success.

Nelson Mandela wrote in his autobiography how he maintained a positive attitude during
his decades in prison. “I thought continually of the day when I would walk free over
and over, I fantasied about what I would like to do”. Examine his words carefully.
He uses affirmatives – positive words that bring hope and encouragement. This clearly
explains the reason why maintaining positive thinking during your gloomiest days
can keep you going strong.

Using affirmative phrases is an instant confidence booster that works like magic.
Give yourself a pep talk from time to time. Look in the mirror and tell yourself
out loud repeatedly how amazing a person you are. Think back to a time when you faced
a difficult challenge and dealt with it well. The power of affirmation can reprogram
your thinking to positive thoughts, and overcome obstacles in life. There is absolutely
nothing to be shy about since no one else is listening to what you said and therefore,
you won’t be laughed at.

Interestingly, a 2008 Olympic table tennis silver medalist had a Chinese character
“wen” which means calm written on her left palm, to remind herself to remain composed
throughout the games. I am not suggesting a tattoo of similar kind on your body but
just to illustrate this point further.

Another important ingredient in achieving a lifetime of success is motivation, and
the most powerful form of motivation must come from within. That means you need to
discover things buried inside you that burn and inspire passion. Once you have clearly
identified them (what you really want), the rest is quite easy to accomplish.

For example, I always find it near impossible to continue my spin classes without
the loud music pumping in the background. While it is playing, the music gets me
going and flowing with the rhythm but once the music stops, I slowed down. That’s
why internal motivation is far more superior than an external one. I am not saying
that external motivation won’t do anything to help you reach your goals but it's
always better to depend on oneself than to rely on others.

Next, harness the power of visualization in your life. Most of us often talk about
the things we want to do but more often than not, we fail to act upon them due to
a variety of reasons. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to write down what you want
to do and for whom. Also, try to be as specific as possible – include how you intend
to pursue your vision.

By writing down on paper, you are subconsciously engineering your mind to act and
believe you have already achieved your goals by visualizing your success. Professional
athletes who spend a great deal of time on mental training tend to have a competitive
advantage simply because they learn to focus on winning and block out distractions.

In addition, responsibility will also inspire a person to set higher goals. Try to
find a compelling reason for wanting to achieve your goals. I know of parents who
stopped smoking for the sake of their young children. Broadly speaking, people suddenly
change for the better because of family, among other things.

Having said that, do you put yourself down – “I am just not good enough for the job
or I am just a nobody....” ? How many negative messages do you send yourself everyday?

Remember, negativity breeds negativity. It is a vicious cycle that only you can break
it. Criticizing yourself is not a good thing as it holds you back while positive
messages propel you forward. Whenever you hear the devil talking down on you, kill
that thought by telling yourself you can overcome limitations and get ahead in life.

You can change your life if you put your heart and soul to it. Your success is only
a few steps away so put your best foot forward.

Can't get motivated to work out every day, or find yourself making excuses not to
exercise all the time? We share some motivating ways to help you stick to your exercise
routine and get you back on track quickly.